Electric generator.



C. T. MASON.

- ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1915. 1,236,732.

Patented Aug. 14, 191?.

hurrah. s'rarns PATENT @FFlQE.

CHARLES THOMAS MASON, OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR 'IO SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL CQIVIPANY, OF NEWARK,

JERSEY.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES Tnosms Mason, a'citizen of the United States, re-- siding at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of South Carolina have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Generators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric generators and particularly to that class of generators used for igniting the charge in an internal combustion engine, which generators are generally termed magnctos.

An object of the invention is to provide a magneto of the above character having a primary field generating flux, a secondary field structure carrying windings and means the rotor with means whereby the rotor may.

be automatically adjusted angularly relative to its supporting and operating shaft for timing purposes according to the speed of said shaft.

in still further object of the invention is to provide a magneto of the above character wherein the cam for actuating the interrupter'is carried by the rotor, so that the cam and rotor may be simultaneously and automatically adjusted for timing purposes.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a device of the above character with manually operated means for controlling said automatic means.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed. v

In the drawings, which show by way of Specification of Letters Patent.

NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Application filed September 15, 1916. Serial No. 120,325.

illustration; one embodiment of the invenill 0112 Figure 1 is a sectional view through a magneto having my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a. view more or less diagrammatically of the current generating coil, the windings thereof, the interrupter associated with said coil and the means for operating ,said interrupter from the rotor;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the operating shaft for the rotor; and

Fig. l is a plan view of the rotor shaft;

*ig. 5 is a plan view of the rotor showing the .cam slots for angularly shifting the same. The invention is directed particularly to a magneto for ignition purposes wherein a current generating coil is provided with a core in inductive relation to a rotor cotiperating with a permanent magnet and furnishing he flux of said magnet to said core. Associated with the core is an interrupter operating to break the primary' circuit at the time of ignition.

The rotor is mounted on an operating shaft and carries a cam for actuating the interrupter. This rotor is capable of being shifted angularly on its operating shaft and when so shifted the timing of the spark in the engine cylinder is either retarded or advanced depending on the direction of shift of the rotor relative to its operating shaft. This shifting of the rotor brings about asimultaneous adjustment of the position of the rotor relative to the core of the current generating coil and the interrupter operat ing cam so that the rotor will he in position for marimum spark when said spark is ad vanced or retarded.

The rotor is shifted on its supporting shaft automatically by a governor which responds to the speed of the shaft and this provides automatic means for advancing and retarding the fiux shifting means which depends upon the rotative speed thereof. In addition to the automatic means for shifting the position of the rotor there is also a manually operated means for controlling said automatic means.

Referring more in detail to the drawings my improved magneto consists of a permanent magnet l havingoppositely disposed and parallel pole faces. Each pole face is provided with an opening 2 in which is mounted a supporting frame 3 having bearings for the shaft 1 which extends through the pole faces. This shaft 4: carries a rotor 5. The rotor 5 is formed with the usual rotor wings and the spaces in and about the wings are filled with brass, the whole member being cylindrical. This rotor operates between the pole pieces 6 and 7 of a core 8 which is made in the usual way and on this core 8 is mounted a generating coil 9.

The generating-coil consists of a primary winding 10 and a secondary winding 11. One terminal of the primary winding 10 leads to a contact 12, while the other ter minal is connected to the secondary winding. The secondary Winding is connected to the ignition terminals, indicated at 13 in Fig. '2 of the drawings. One of these terminals is grounded. Goiiperating with the contact 12 is a movable contact 14 carr ed by a lever 15. The rotor 4: is provided with cams 16 and 17 which engage the lever 15, and these cams operate to separate the contacts 12 and 14 at the proper time for producing the spark at the spark terminals 1S.

The shaft 4 is provided with a recess 18 and also with cam slots 19 and 19, The rotor assembly is provided with cam slots 26 and 20. Located within the recess 18 is a rod 21 which is provided with an opening 22 and a pin 23 extends through this opening in the rod 21 and through the slots 19, 19, 20 and 20*. These slots are so formed that a movement of the rod 21 endwise in one direction will shift the rotor assembly angularly in one direction relati'ye to the supporting shaft therefor, while a movement of the. rod in the other directionwill shift the rotor assembly in the opposite direction. It will readily be seen that when the rotor assembly is shifted, the interrupter cam is also shifted. This interrupter cam is so shaped as to actuate the interrupter in the proper time in the rotation of the rotor relative to the core 8' as to produce a maximum spark. After these parts have once been properly adjusted, it will be apparent that all adjustments for either an advanced or a retarded spark will give a maximum spark. I

The rod 21. is moved endwise as herein shown by an automatic governor which is influenced by the speed of the operating shaft 41.. This governor is of a well known type and consists of four springs each of which is provided with weight The springs are connecte at their inner ends as at 24- to the shaft 41 while the outer ends of these springs are connected at 25 to the end governor to control the spark in 1,2se,7ss

of the rod 21 which is slightly enlarged The rod 21 is bored out at 26 to receive a small piston 27 which is connected to a rod 28. The rod 28 is connected-to a hand lever 29. Located directly in rearof the piston is a spring 30. This spring is confined between the piston at 27 and an 'end cap 31 on theend of the rod 21.

It will be understood, of course, that the magneto shaft 4. is geared to the engine shaft and, therefore, this shaft 4; will be operated in timing with the engine shaft, increasing its speed or decreasing itsspeed in accordance with the variation in the speed of the engine. When the speed of the engine increases the weights 23through the action of centrifugal force thereon will move out, thus expanding the governor and this outward movement of the weights bending the springs 22 will push the rod 21 farther into the shaft 41, causing the rotor as- Sembly 5 to change its angular relation to the supporting shaft and also to the engine shaft, thus advancing the spark in accordance with thespeed of the engine. As the engine slows down the retarded movement will take place and the pressure. of the governor springs against the rod '21 will be less causing it to withdraw from the recess in the shaft s and thus turning the rotor angularly in the opposite direction and retarding the spark.

The hand controlled lever used when the engine operates under a suddenly appliedheavy load while the rotation of the engine shaft is relatively high. The governor will cause the spark to advance and. the engine may knock. Bythe use of the hand lever or throttle control 29 the spring 30 may be compressed to counteract the lateral force of the governor 5 or if desired sufiicient force may be applied to the member 10 to slide the rod 21 so as to retard the spark. When it is desired to allow the automath cally advancing or retarding the same, the piston 27 is moved toward the right hand. end 1' h recess 26, as viewed in Fig. 1 of the dra J11 h real. the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided an ignition magneto having a primary field generatiw flip-rand a secondary field structure which carries windings and wliicn receives the flue; from said primary field. Means is also pro vided for intermittently con'lpleting and reversing the path of flux from thepriniarv field to the secondarv field structure which as shown in the drawings, is in the forn'i of the rotor movable about an axis at rio'lit angles to the face of the magnet furnishing the flux I have also provided automatic means for advancing and retarding said flux shifting means which automatic means dcshaft of the engine.

I have also provided manually operated means in the lever 29 whereby this automatic means may be controlled and the same rendered ineffective When desired.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts may bemade, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 7 1. An ignition magneto including in combination a primary field generating flux, a secondary field structure adapted to rgceive flux from said primary field, a current gencrating coil associated with said secondary field structure, means for shifting the flux from the primary field to the secondary field including a driving shaft in the mage neto, automatic means for advancing and retarding said flux shifting means in relation to said shaft depending upon the rotative speed thereof and manually operated means for controlling said automatic means.

2. An ignition dynamo including in combination a flux creating. element, a flux receiving element, a current generating coil carried by said flux receiving element, an interrupter associated with said coil, an interrupter operating device,- means including a driving shaft in the magneto for shifting the flux from the flux creating element to the flux receiving element and automatic means for simultaneously adjusting the interrupter operating device and the flux shifting means in relation to said shaft in accordance with the speed of the magneto for timing purposes.

3. Anignition magneto including in com bination a permanent magnet, a flux receiving core, a coil carried by said core, an interrupter associated with said coil, an interrupter operating device, a rotor for furnishing flux to the core and automatic means for simultaneously adjusting the interrupter operating device and the rotor in accordance with the speed of the magneto for timing purposes.

4:. An ignition magneto including in combinat'ion a permanent magnet, a i'illX receiving core, a coil carried by said core, an

interrupter associated with said coil, an in- 5. An ignition magneto including in combination a permanent magnet, a core, a cure5 rent generating coil carried by the core, a rotor for furnishing the flux to said core, a shaft in the magneto supporting said rotor and automatic means for shifting said rotor angularly about said shaft in accordance With the spe d of the shaft for timing purposes.

6. An ignition magneto including in combination a permanent magnet, core, a current generating coil carried by the core, a rotor for furnishing the fiux'to said core, a shaft in the magneto supporting said rotor and automatic means for shifting said rotor angularly about said shaft, in accordance with the speed of the shaft for timing purposes and manually operated means for controlling said automatic means.

7. An ignition magneto including in combination a permanent magnet having spaced parallel pole faces provided with openings extending therethrough, a shaft extending through said openings, a rotor mounted on said shaft, a normally stationary current generating coil, a core therefor in inductive relation to the rotor and automatic means for angularly adjusting said rotor on said shaft in accordance with the speed of the shaft for timing purposes.

8. An ignition magneto including in combination a permanent magnet having spaced parallel pole faces provided with openings extending therethrough, a shaft extending through said openings, a rotor mounted on said shaft, a normallv stationary current generating coil, a core therefor in inductive relation to the rotor and automatic means for angularly adjusting said rotor on said shaft in accordance with .the speed of the shaft for timing purposes, said last named means including a rod movable endwise on the shaft, a governor connecting the shaft and the rod and devices operated by the end- Wise movement of the rod for shifting the rotor.

9. An ignition magneto including in combination a permanent magnet having spaced parallel pole faces provided with openings extending therethrough, a shaft extending throughsaid openings, a rotor mounted on said shaft, a normally stationary current generating coil, a therefor in inductive relation to the rotor and automatic means for angularly adjusting said rotor on said shaft in accordance with the speed of the shaft for timing purposes, said last named 1 means including a rod movableendwise on. the shaft, a governor connecting the shaft and the rod and devices operated by the end Wise movement of the rod for shifting the rotor and manually controlled means for preventing the endwise movement of said rod through t e influence of said governor.

10.2w on magneto including in llll - rotor on said shaft in accordance with the speed of the shaft for timing purposes, said last named means including a rod movable endwise in a recess formed in the shaft of said rotor, a pin' carried by the rod, a cam slot formed in the rotor whereby when said rod is moved endwise said rotor is angularly shifted on said shaft, a, governor connecting said rod and said shaft and operated by centrifugal force for moving the rod endwise in accordance with the speed of the shaft.

11, An ignition magneto including in combination a permanent magnet having spaced parallel pole faces provided With openings therethrough, a shaft extending through said openings, a rotor mounted on said shaft, a. normally stationary current generating coil, 3, core therefor in inductive relation to the rotor and automatic means for angularly adjusting said rotor on said shaft in accordance with the speed or" the shaft for timing purposes, said last named means including a rod movable endwise in a recess formed in shaft of said rotor whereby when said rod is moved endwise said rotor is angularly shiiitedon said shaft a governor connecting said rod and said shaf and operated by centrifugal force for moving the rod endwise in accordance with speed of the shaft and a manually operated lever for preventing the movement or" the rod endwise through the action. of said governor.

19,. An ignition magneto including in combination a permanent magnet, a rotor, an operating shaft for said rotor extending at right angles to the pole faces of said magnet, a current generating coil, a core therefor in inductive relation to said rotor, automatic me Y depending upon the speed of said shait for shifting the angular position of the rotor on the shaft and manually operated means for preventing said automatic means from shifting the rotor.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. 

